Are you traveling with small children or an infant to Walt Disney World? You gotta know about Rider Switch!

The Rider Switch program is a service provided at Walt Disney World theme parks that allows adult guests take turns waiting with little ones so that they may each experience an attraction with a height requirement. The adult that stays behind with the non-riding child/infant is able to enjoy the ride after the rest of their party returns from the ride without having to wait in the regular line.

If the little one(s) in your party does not measure up or does not wish to ride an attraction that all of the other guests in your party want to experience, no problem. Simply, go to the front of the queue for the attraction and find a Cast Member. You can notify them that you would like to use the Rider Swap/Switch service. Let the Cast Member know which adult will be staying behind with the youngster. The adult that stays behind will be given a pass (essentially a fastpass+) on their Magicband or card. This pass will give the waiting adult the ability to bypass the regular line when the rest of the party has exited the attraction, located the waiting guest and taken supervision of the little one. The adult that has not yet enjoyed the ride can bring up to 2 other guests to ride with them after scanning their pass at the entrance of the queue.

This service is heaven sent for adults visiting with young children. We have used it (often) since becoming Disney World parents.

FAQ

What rides are eligible for rider switch?

Magic Kingdom Park:
The Barnstormer
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
Space Mountain
Splash Mountain
Tomorrowland Indy Speedway

Epcot:
Frozen Ever After
Mission: SPACE
Soarin’
Test Track

Disney’s Hollywood Studios:
Alien Swirling Saucers
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
Slinky Dog Dash
Star Tours® – The Adventures Continue
Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

(Rise of the Resistance is not officially included on the Walt Disney World Website as an attractiong eligible for the Rider Switch program, but in our experience, we have been able to obtain Rider Switch passes after approaching a Cast Member at the ROTR queue when our boarding group was called.)

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park:
Avatar Flight of Passage
DINOSAUR 
Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain® 
Kali River Rapids
Na’vi River Journey
Primeval Whirl

So, can you ride twice? Technically, yes. Two guests from your party can enjoy the ride a second time as long as the rider that waited with the young guest from your party boards with them. This is a great way for the parent who stayed with the younger child to still experience the ride with their older children.

If you have any more questions, check out the Walt Disney World website or feel free to DM me on instagram ( @othatsmagical )